Film Review: The King’s Speech (2010)

The Duke of York (Colin Firth) is sent by his wife Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) to see an unorthodox speech therapist (Geoffrey Rush), after he embarrassingly stutters his way through a radio speech. After the death of his father (Michael Gambon) and the sudden abdication of his older brother (Guy Pearce), the Duke is crowned King George VI of England.

The King’s Speech is an incredibly formulaic and predictable narrative. The Duke of York starts out with a stammer, he goes to see a speech therapist, there are some ups and downs, things look like they’re going to get worse before they get better, and the stammer is overcome just at the right moment (and he becomes King somewhere in between). The majority of the film was shot indoors and is very reminiscent of your typical BBC series.

The performances are great, Firth brilliantly doing the ever so serious, formal royal so well – it’s definitely these kinds of roles in which he shines. The rapport between him and Rush is fantastic, the latter injecting humour in every possible situation. The two compliment each other extremely well, Rush’s boisterous and enthusiastic juxtaposing against Firth’s serious and extremely formal. Bonham Carter was neither here nor there, her performance the weakest link in an otherwise fairly strong cast.

Despite the predictable narrative, the end scene, where the King is addressing the nation in his declaration of war against Nazi Germany, is truly the peak of the film, and Firth’s performance. Full of emotion, it stands out in what is otherwise a fairly mediocre storyline. Yes the ending was predictable, but we were all right there with the King, and still happy that he was finally able to overcome that really annoying stammer.

★★★